Most people lack the dorsiflexion to perform a legitimate high bar squat in flat-soled shoes. It's not that squatting in flat shoes is bad for your knees per se, but rather that most cannot accomplish the task. To the extent these people attempt to break parallel (which is pathetically rare), they often have to compensate other parts of their form due to the lack of dorsiflexion, and the bar ends up taking a crooked path, which can put strain on the knees. If you can maintain form, the type of shoe should be irrelevant, particularly when you consider that many people squat bare-footed.

If your knee is cranky, it shouldn't be because of the footwear that you're wearing (unless you're wearing shoes that are totally inappropriate for any kind of athletic activity). Even with very long femurs, which typically acts as a predisposition for knee problems while squatting, I squat pain-free with olympic shoes. In fact, I've found that the improved heel support allows me to sit back into the squat with more stability.

Just be sure not to keep your weight on your toes, to push your knees out while descending into the squat and to do plenty of warm-up/prehab/rehab work and you'll be fine.

What is the consensus on best bar placement for high bar squats,I know this will vary from person to person a bit but what has worked for you personally?If I place the bar on top of my traps which is the standard recommendation at the bottom my spine gets really compressed and later on I will have twinges(nothing major at all,just discomfort) in my spine at the base and where the bar rested.

Also if I drop the bar down an inch or so and push back with my rear delts to make a shelf I dont get the compressive feeling but the bar slips down a wee bit on the way down and on the way back up it pops up again also resulting in spinal twinges later on in the day.Any hints?

I've just started to consider shoes myself. While I've never really thought about it before, despite hearing PLs and heavy squatter discuss footwear, lately I've noticed a bit of instability in my leg ankle. As front squats were my mainstay for so long, I think my post-surgery switch to back squats may have entailed a bit of biomechanical relearning.

I've always just worn cross trainers as they seemed fine for just about everything a BBer would need to do, pushing the heaviest weights possible was never my goal. Still, at times, I can feel my leg foot wanting to roll inward slightly. As long as I consciously press outward throughout the movement (which actually helps me keep hard tension on my quads anyway) I'm fine, it's just odd to me that only one foot seems to have such a lagging stability.

Lately I was wondering if I might be better suited with either a shoe that provided more ankle support (high tops of some sort?) or a basic flat sole. And even being a bit rusty with the back squats, going ATG has never been a problem for me

The Mighty Stu wrote:I've just started to consider shoes myself. While I've never really thought about it before, despite hearing PLs and heavy squatter discuss footwear, lately I've noticed a bit of instability in my leg ankle. As front squats were my mainstay for so long, I think my post-surgery switch to back squats may have entailed a bit of biomechanical relearning.

I've always just worn cross trainers as they seemed fine for just about everything a BBer would need to do, pushing the heaviest weights possible was never my goal. Still, at times, I can feel my leg foot wanting to roll inward slightly. As long as I consciously press outward throughout the movement (which actually helps me keep hard tension on my quads anyway) I'm fine, it's just odd to me that only one foot seems to have such a lagging stability.

Lately I was wondering if I might be better suited with either a shoe that provided more ankle support (high tops of some sort?) or a basic flat sole. And even being a bit rusty with the back squats, going ATG has never been a problem for me

S.

Stu you might want to consider a wrestling shoe. Gives some ankle support but you would still have a flat sole (I am guessing that your cross trainers are flat soled). I actually prefer them to Chucks a great deal, better traction and better support.

I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

T3hPwnisher wrote:I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

I used wrestling shoes for wrestling. I wear chucks to lift. I have always high bar OLY squatted to depth that regularly causes people to come give me unsolicited advice about how dangerous it is for me to do that. Never had an issue except for people annoying me.

If you lack to mobility to do something, that doesnt mean you shouldnt do it. It means you should correct the mobility issue.

T3hPwnisher wrote:I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

I am actually the exact opposite. Maybe it is a difference in arches or something. I have really high arches and am prone to over-supination and the lack of any arch support in chucks made me feel like it was just a matter of time before my ankle roles to the inside.

T3hPwnisher wrote:I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

Aren't those wrestling shoes you're wearing in your avi? Lol

I've tried wrestling shoes on a few times, but could never bring myself to get a pair. They just don't feel right compared to other shoes I've squatted in. Like you said, it felt like my feet would roll...which I guess is kind of weird since I've been squatting barefoot for the last year and a half or so.

I have switched to Romaleos and really like them. Things just feel "right" in them and they are by far the most stable shoe I've ever squatted in.

The Adidas Power Lift might be a good choice for someone that wants any Oly style shoe but doesn't want to blow like $200 on a pair. I know a few guys that have them, like them, and were able to get them for less than the $80 list price.

buckeye girl wrote:The Adidas Power Lift might be a good choice for someone that wants any Oly style shoe but doesn't want to blow like $200 on a pair. I know a few guys that have them, like them, and were able to get them for less than the $80 list price.

Hmm just bought a pair of romaleos and am quite happy with them. Did a lot of research by combing through the reviews on the different shoes and found many complaints on the Adidas Power Lift heel compressing under heavy weight. If you don't want to splurge on the Romaleos or Adipower you could get the Rogue Do Win or Risto. Oh yeah forgot to mention I've squatted high bar in chucks nothing wrong with it granted you have decent ankle flexibility. But the heel in the romaleos allow me to squat a lot deeper. I haven't had any knee problems but its probably because I always atg it instead of just stopping at parallel or slightly below.

BeefyAngus wrote:Hmm just bought a pair of romaleos and am quite happy with them. Did a lot of research by combing through the reviews on the different shoes and found many complaints on the Adidas Power Lift heel compressing under heavy weight. If you don't want to splurge on the Romaleos or Adipower you could get the Rogue Do Win or Risto. Oh yeah forgot to mention I've squatted high bar in chucks nothing wrong with it granted you have decent ankle flexibility. But the heel in the romaleos allow me to squat a lot deeper. I haven't had any knee problems but its probably because I always atg it instead of just stopping at parallel or slightly below.

I have heard that the newer Powerlift 2.0 is much better with the compression issue than the Power Lift Trainers. I have also heard a lot of people like the Power Perfects but they run like 150. I think I saw somewhere that Dan Green wears those. I haven't been able to talk myself into pulling the trigger on a Oly Shoe yet, but the Powerlift 2.0 with a little shorter 1/2" heel is very appealing to me.

T3hPwnisher wrote:I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

Aren't those wrestling shoes you're wearing in your avi? Lol

I've tried wrestling shoes on a few times, but could never bring myself to get a pair. They just don't feel right compared to other shoes I've squatted in. Like you said, it felt like my feet would roll...which I guess is kind of weird since I've been squatting barefoot for the last year and a half or so.

I have switched to Romaleos and really like them. Things just feel "right" in them and they are by far the most stable shoe I've ever squatted in.

The Adidas Power Lift might be a good choice for someone that wants any Oly style shoe but doesn't want to blow like $200 on a pair. I know a few guys that have them, like them, and were able to get them for less than the $80 list price.

Yup, wearing them in my avatar. I'll still put them on in a meet, because it puts me closer to the ground than a pair of chucks, but I don't like training in them.

For the comment about arches, that could be part of it. I have almostly completely flat feet.

T3hPwnisher wrote:I honestly dislike wrestling shoes compared to Chucks for squats and deads. I feel like wrestling shoes offer no support compared to Chucks, and that my foot is going to roll over at any moment while I wear them. They're very good for being low to the floor, but I don't feel very stable in them. It's more like wearing a lace up sock for me.

Aren't those wrestling shoes you're wearing in your avi? Lol

I've tried wrestling shoes on a few times, but could never bring myself to get a pair. They just don't feel right compared to other shoes I've squatted in. Like you said, it felt like my feet would roll...which I guess is kind of weird since I've been squatting barefoot for the last year and a half or so.

I have switched to Romaleos and really like them. Things just feel "right" in them and they are by far the most stable shoe I've ever squatted in.

The Adidas Power Lift might be a good choice for someone that wants any Oly style shoe but doesn't want to blow like $200 on a pair. I know a few guys that have them, like them, and were able to get them for less than the $80 list price.

Yup, wearing them in my avatar. I'll still put them on in a meet, because it puts me closer to the ground than a pair of chucks, but I don't like training in them.

For the comment about arches, that could be part of it. I have almostly completely flat feet.

Hmm if you want to be closer to the ground why not barefoot it? I'm just wondering since it's what I started doing recently.